This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to aspects of the present technique, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present technique. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Data encoding methods or algorithms are utilized in electronic video displays, particularly with respect to flat panel display systems to selectively control the bursts of locally transmitted primary light emitted from individual pixels disposed across the display surface. One example for the application of such encoding algorithms is a direct-view flat panel display system that uses sequentially-pulsed bursts of red, green, and blue colored light (i.e., primary colored light) emanating from the display surface to create a sequence of primary color images, also referred to as primary color subframes, that integrated together form a full color image or frame by the temporal mixing of emitted primary light that is being directed from the display surface to a viewer. A term commonly used to define this technique is called field sequential color (FSC). The human eye (i.e., human visual system) of the viewer effectively integrates the pulsed light from a light source to form the perception of a level of light intensity of each primary color (i.e., primary subframe).
In another aspect, the gray scale level generated at each pixel location on the display surface is proportional to the percentage of time the pixel is ON during the primary color subframe time, tcolor. The frame rates at which this occurs are high enough to create the illusion of a continuous stable image, rather than a flickering one (i.e., a noticeable series of primary color subframes). During each primary color's determinant time period, tcolor, the shade of that primary color emitted by an individual pixel is controlled by encoding data that selectively controls the appropriate fraction of tcolor (i.e., amount of time) that the individual pixel is open during the time period tcolor. A term commonly used to define this technique is called pulse width modulation (PWM). For example, producing 24-bit encoded color requires 256 (0-255) shades defined for each primary color. If one pixel requires a 50% shade of red, then that pixel will be assigned with shade 128 (128/256=0.5) and stay on for 50% of tcolor. This form of data encoding assumes a constant magnitude light intensity from the light source that is modulated (i.e., pulse width modulated) across the display screen by the selective opening and closing of individual pixels. Moreover, it achieves gray scales by subdividing tcolor into fractional temporal components. An individual pixel that is open refers to the pixel in an ON state (i.e., light emitting), whereas an individual pixel that is closed refers to the pixel in an OFF state (i.e., not light emitting). By making an array of pixels on a display emit, or transmit, light in a properly pulsed manner (i.e., controllably switched between ON and OFF states), one can create a full-color FSC display.
Various strategies for adjusting the color generation method for field sequential color-based display systems are geared either to the avoidance of solarization or posterization (linearity errors in creating a true uniformly sloped monotonic gray scale relationship between input and optical output of a display at any given point) and motional color breakup artifacts related to the temporal decoupling of the various primary frames comprising an image when they arrive at the retina, such that an object noticeably decomposes into its constituent primary components since those components no longer properly overlap as a consequence of relative retina-object motion during the viewing of the display. However, these various strategies induce engineering compromises since the response time of various pixel architectures may be either marginal or inadequate to generate both adequate gray scale and incorporate the artifact mitigation strategies proposed to correct for the kind of imaging errors just described. The larger a display system, or the higher its pixel density, the greater this gap between response requirements and minimal performance to deploy motional color breakup mitigation strategies becomes. However, the display industry continues to evolve toward larger, higher-density display systems because of growing industrial, military, and commercial needs in regard to information display. Because these issues have yet to be satisfactorily addressed in regard to motional color breakup in particular, the prior art has fallen short in respect to presenting a workable solution to this ongoing problem in display technology.